Three goals in the final six minutes lifted the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team to a 5-2 win over Cornell on Saturday afternoon in Cheel Arena.
With the win, Clarkson sweeps Cornell in the ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals series and the Golden Knights head to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive season, a program high. Clarkson now has a 28-3-5 record this season while Cornell finishes with a 13-14-4 record. The win also breaks Cornell’s streak of six straight appearances in the ECAC Hockey Championship game.
Three early penalties put Clarkson on the back foot as the game got underway. Cornell took advantage on its third chance with the Big Red getting on the scoreboard 10:19 into the game through a Jess Brown goal. Cornell doubled its lead less than three minutes later when Kaitlin Doering won the puck behind Clarkson’s net and then fed Christian Higham in the crease with Higham scoring.
Clarkson got one goal back at 18:28 in the first. Junior assistant captain Cayley Mercer played a give and go with senior assistant captain Olivia Howe in the right corner and Mercer lifted a shot past the Cornell goaltender’s shoulder and into the back of the net. Senior assistant captain Erin Ambrose also had an assist on the goal.
Clarkson tied the game 5:45 into the middle frame. On a power-play, the Golden Knights worked the puck around and Ambrose found space to let loose a shot. Although Cornell was able to turn away Ambrose’s initial attempt, the rebound fell to Howe who scored on the second chance to tie the game. It was the 100th career point for Howe, who becomes just the 11th Clarkson player to reach that mark. Senior captain Shannon MacAulay also had an assist on the goal and is now at 96 career points.
With the score tied heading into the third period, Clarkson began to take the lion’s share of the puck and applied steady pressure to the Cornell goal, outshooting the Big Red 19-3 in the third period. Clarkson’s breakthrough came at the 14:12 mark. After a Clarkson shot, there was a scramble in front of the net and freshman Kelly Mariani pounced on the puck first and fired into the goal. Freshman Josiane Pozzebon and Ambrose were credited with the assists.
At 17:09, Clarkson added an insurance goal. Ambrose fed freshman Rhyen McGill in front of the net. McGill found herself facing away from the goal, but was able to slip the puck from between her legs and into the goal to make the score 4-2. Pozzebon also had an assist on the goal.
Cornell pulled its goaltender in a desperate attempt to stave off elimination, but junior Genevieve Bannon poked the puck to senior assistant captain Renata Fast who streaked down the right side of the rink and tapped home into the empty cage for the final score. It was the 96th career point for Bannon.
Clarkson finished with a 52-15 advantage in shots. It is the fourth time this year that Clarkson has taken at least 50 shots. Clarkson scored on its only power-play while Cornell was one of two on extra man opportunities. Sophomore goaltender Shea Tiley made 13 stops for Clarkson while Paula Voorheis had 47 saves for Cornell.
Clarkson will now head to Quinnipiac for the semifinals, starting next Saturday.
